Ice maze at MIA, Loppet draw winter weather fans

The Minneapolis Institute of Art was just opening its doors Saturday morning, but families were already wandering through the ice maze outside the museum.

Children ran mittens over the textured ice and images of clothing inside the ice walls. The intricate Chinese garments pictured in the ice are featured in an institute exhibition, "Power and Beauty in China's Last Dynasty."

The free maze, built in the shape of the museum's initials, is one of many winter activities coinciding with the Super Bowl. It will be open to the public through Sunday.

As Twin Cities event organizers are showcasing the "Bold North" to visitors, many locals are taking full advantage of the fun. Several Minnesotans who visited the ice maze Saturday said they were spending the weekend participating in a mix of Super Bowl and annual Twin Cities events, from Friday night's Kitten Bowl to the art shanties on Lake Harriet and Luminary Loppet at the Lake of the Isles.

Marsha Huha and her son William Maxwell Boulger were having a Saturday filled with winter activities, from exploring the ice maze in the morning to walking on ice at the loppet at night. They often visit the MIA, Huha said, but the maze adds a fun element.

"This is really awesome. I really like how they carved it," she said, looking at the bricks of ice, some of which featured a wavy pattern.

Jessica Leadbitter, of Richfield, was one of many who said they saw the maze on social media and decided to check it out. She had never been to the art institute and snapped some snowy photos in the maze before heading in for her first visit.

Minneapolis resident Drew Kersten asked his son, Val, to pose for a photo in the maze. "Say cheese," he instructed.

"Ice!" Val replied.

Jessie Van Berkel • 651-925-5044

Jessie Van Berkel writes about Minnesota government and politics at the Star Tribune. She previously covered St. Paul City Hall and local government in the south metro.